With fall upon us, it is time to look to prepare our lawns for the coming months. Winter is upon our doorstep, meaning that preparing for the possibility of frost and sub-zero temperatures as well as increased precipitation, be it rain or snow. This means that landscaping needs to allow for the protection of any plants as well as the protection of any structures below the surface of the lawn. Fortunately, it is easy to prepare for winter even while maintaining a great look.
Gardening In Sandy, UT
It is important to start with the pipes. Too many of those worried about their lawns forget about the structures underneath the surface of the lawn and focus too much on the landscaping itself. The pipes require a little bit of care: They need to completely drained of water lest the water inside freeze, expand, and cause the pipes to burst as soon as the temperature drops below freezing. Given the usual amount of fall and winter precipitation lawns should not need the water provided by sprinklers so this should be fine. However, keep in mind to inspect the pipes before returning to normal use in the spring in order to replace any pipes or sprinkler heads that may have been damaged over winter.
There are several options as far as the lawn itself. In some areas, the lawn can easily tough out the winter and evergreen lawns are made with that in mind. In other areas the lawn dies out as the temperatures decrease, making lawn care far more easy, but it does create the problem of what to do about the ground itself. For larger lawns, it may not be a bad idea to bring out statuary to provide some texture for the lawn, in order to avoid seeing large featureless areas. Try for a low density here as you do not want to overcrowd the area, just provide some visual texture.
Smaller Garden Tips
For smaller areas, some sort of cover may not be a bad idea, especially as it helps to protect the ground from erosion caused by any precipitation. You will probably want to look at bark rather than tarps; while the tarps are easier to manipulate they tend to look horrible, especially after a couple of windstorms have shredded them. The bark is relatively easy to replace and can be easily removed come spring. It also has the advantage of helping lawn care in Utah by providing cover for any surviving seeds as well as breaking down over time and providing some nutrients to the soil underneath.
Other landscaping issues need to be addressed as well. Trees need little maintenance, but their leaves should be raked. If the leafless limbs require some sort of decoration ribbons can be tied to them. Bushes should be looked after, especially considering that they can easily hide some pests. Flowering plants need some serious maintenance, especially those that die off each year. While you want some of the waste to remain in order to feed the soil, you should nonetheless remove most of the dead plants as part of landscape maintenance. Other plants should be inspected several times during the coming months in order to assess potential damage whether it be from weather or disease.
While lawn care may be easier during winter, this is a great time for some basic landscape maintenance. Take advantage of the time and you should have a great looking lawn the entire year-round
